We Would Murder All Our Heroes
by Helena Lucia
Summary: We offered you the world, called you a saviour, and watched you die. -Can be interpreted as you will.-


_** We Would Murder All Our Heroes**_

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_**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.  
**_

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The soft click of footsteps echoes lightly against the wooden floors, setting sun casting shadows on the figure. He pauses for a moment before setting a hand on the plain paper door, allowing the seals to recognize his chakra and grant him access. The door slides shut behind him as he approaches the figure hunched over his knees on the low bed.

"Hello Naruto." Uchiha Sasuke acknowledges softly, leaning his sword against the wall as Uzumaki Naruto's glassy blue eyes follow the movement.

* * *

Two years have passed since the end of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, the burning insanity of revenge that had driven him smoldering away in the wake of the ashes of the battlefields.

During the final clash, it had seemed as if the gods themselves had held their breath, the entire elemental nations silent as the Juubi crumbled into dust, leaving only lingering traces of a poisonus chakra.

Sasuke had been on the other side of the battlefield, merely an observer of Uchiha Obito's and so many other nameless ninjas deaths. He had watched until the final hand-sign had been completed, and Naruto had fallen from the vanishing Kyuubi's head, as if in some macabre rendition of battles passed.

The Kyuubi's tainted chakra did not break it's container's fall, eyes wide and lips parted in a soundless scream. Sasuke knew the boy was dead before he reached him.

He wasn't certain how long he stood there, a genjutsu concealing them from the other shinobi as he kept watch over a dead hero.

* * *

"_Madara was completely erased from existence," _Naruto had explained, smiling secretly against Sasuke's shoulder as the elder led him away from the battlefield. They spoke nothing of Konoha and Naruto never questioned where they were going until Sasuke spoke for the first time since he had carried Naruto's limp body away from the dying black flames of _**Amaterasu**_.

Voicing the question that Naruto had been studiously avoiding. _"What was the price of the technique Naruto?"_

He had looked up, blood still flowing sluggishly from a wound on his forehead and Sasuke noted silently that despite the prolonged regeneration, his chakra was still waning and the dark lines on Naruto's cheeks had begun to fade. He looked vaguely resigned, and Sasuke's _Sharingan_ focused on him sharply.

_ "I broke the laws of nature Sasuke. I didn't just banish him to the Shinigami's stomach."_ Naruto confided a moment later. _"I __**erased**__ a soul from time and __**reality**__. It was replaced with another soul but the balance was still disturbed. I'm certain you can imagine the consequences. I was meant to be grounded, attached to someone when I performed it. I just assumed that Kurama would protect me, but it turns out that you were right. I can't always just rely on him."_ He inhaled haltingly, jaw tightening when Sasuke remained quiet.

_"A life, would be too easy. The balance has already been met. Instead, my memories will begin to blur, and eventually vanish, because I didn't have a stabilizing point." _

Why, Naruto. Why do you continue to do this to yourself in the name of Peace? What is it that makes it worth it?_ "You could have asked, idiot." _He said instead.

At that Naruto did smile. _"There wasn't time, asshole. Besides, I couldn't see you."_

Something cold lodged in his throat at that, and Sasuke swallowed around it, smoothing his features into stillness.

_"If it's your memories that will be affected then maybe I can find a way to slow it down, or stop it. You can help me, can't you."_

Naruto shifted, scowling as coagulating blood dripped into his lashes. _"Maybe Jir-,"_ He stopped. _"Jiraiya mentioned Uzushio once or twice."_ He offered.

* * *

They had left Fire Country, finding a small place overlooking the dead city that had once been Uzushiogakure, and ignored the great Shinobi Nations recuperating from the war, and Konoha mourning the passing of the Yondaime's Legacy.

The first year had been pleasant, but Sasuke had watched as Naruto slowly worsened, finally seeming to be lost somewhere between illusion and reality. The younger never said much about the _Kyuubi_, and Sasuke assumed that the demonic fox was no longer contained in sentient form.

* * *

Sasuke would visit and Naruto would often greet him, sometimes calling him Sasuke, and other times by different names.

**_ Sai_**, and Sasuke hated that name because they would slip into easy banter and laughter that reminded him of when they were still young genins, and Naruto would say _Sai_, instead of _Sasuke_.

**_ Hinata_**, and they would sit quietly in the sun, while Naruto would explain about seals and stories that had been passed down through generations in the faded Uzumaki scrolls. It was clear that although his sanity was wavering, his skills were mostly intact.

_** Shikamaru**,_ and they would play game after game of shogi, challenging each other with riddles and mind games. Sasuke didn't mind that name much.

He had called him **_Itachi_** once, kneeling quietly on the tatami mats and whispering that he had done everything, and _what more did he want?_ Sasuke left early that day.

* * *

"Sasuke?" It was posed as a question, but there was certainty in his tone. His lips curved unbidden into a smile, dispelling the half-formed question of whose name Naruto would greet him with today.

"Naruto." He returned, softly, patiently, ill-acquainted with the rare bouts of lucidity.

Naruto stood, moving towards him, blue eyes shadowed but focused. "The sacrifice, I need to finish it."

Sasuke frown deepened as the blond dropped to his knees a pace away, looking upwards daringly.

"The seals, they're burning. I need to wake him up. He's in a cave, with the toads. You don't have a contract but the seal I placed should enable you to get inside." He glanced up, blue eyes dark.

"It's important, and you have to remember because I know I won't, the seal will only react to your chakra. I had to make so many sealing arrays to actually complete it, and I had nearly forgotten."

"Forgotten what Naruto?" Sasuke intoned. "What is it that you want me to do."

Naruto's gaze sharpened, fingers relaxing. "Please," He implored. "it's for you."

* * *

The cave was as well guarded as Sasuke had assumed it would be. It was doubtful that Naruto was attempting to kill him, but the seals that had been placed as safeguards would have discouraged most other shinobi. Sasuke wondered what exactly Naruto was so keen on protecting.

The painted black runes allowed him entrance, as Naruto had predicted, and he noted that the plain black stone was inscribed with containment and blood activated unlock for soul and body suspended animation regeneration seal.

_"You didn't-"_ He breathed, because even if his _Sharingan_ couldn't see through the wards, he knew exactly who Naruto had regenerated in place of the erased soul. He would have gotten enough of his chakra when they met in the forest before the start of the war, enough of the Nekomata's to call the soul when they fought, and enough of the Kyuubi's to perfect the body.

The mist of heady chakra seemed to crawl through his skin as the black characters responded to his blood, fading into Uchiha Itachi's skin.

* * *

Naruto's eyes flickered open the moment the seals activated, feeling the awakening of Uchiha Itachi and the slow _burn_ of the violent red chakra he hadn't felt in almost two years.

His breath hitched as the chakra ghosted under his skin and into his mind.

"_**Hmm, how clever you have become with your seals little mortal. Even as your mind falls apart you find a way to defy the cycle of nature."**_ The dark tones resounded like a echo in his head.

"It almost backfired." He hissed. "I didn't imagine my memories would be the first to go."

The voice returned, clearly amused. _**"To use me as the sacrifice, rather than yourself, I should be furious."**_

"Aren't you?" Naruto asked, straightening from his previous position.

_**"Almost impressed. My chakra has cured the eldest Uchiha. Should they return, they will make interesting companions. But do not think that I will be so forgiving should you attempt something so foolish again. I am the sole reason for your survival, Namikaze."**_

"Namikaze was my father's name. Mine is Uzumaki." A moment passed and Naruto glanced up at the sky, as if the Yondaime Hokage could see him now.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_ Struggling with a prompt for my muse.


End file.
